Surebleak
Basics *The name of a planet and “the largest, indeed the only, city on the planet”Neogenesis **in the story Skyblaze it’s Port City, and Yulie Shaper calls Surebleak Port City ***(which might be lumped with Surebleak City *Surebleak is the birthplace of Miri Robertson Tiazan and home to Clan Korval after banishment (escape?) from Liad *Angela "Liz" Lizardi grew up on Surebleak, in Boss Peterman's turf *Surebleak features in various novels and short stories, beginning with the events in I'' ''Dare. For a retrospective of Miri's youth on Surebleak, see the short story Fighting Chance.Fighting Chance, in Allies: Adventures in the Liaden Universe #12, and in A Liaden Universe Constellation, volume ii Location *Surebleak is a planet in the Daiellen Sector, known for cold weather and a Wild West atmosphere of lawlessness. Ghost Ship, ch 33 *"end-of-the-spiral-arm planet" The Rifle's First Wife *The planet has two Tidal moons: Triga and Toppa.Moon on the Hills *“the double-star Chuck-Honey is barely a light year away”Moon on the Hills, in Halfling Moon, and in Liaden Universe Constellation volume ii *Trading Loops: The planet is off the beaten path and the spaceport is low-tier by guild standards, but "there are three solid mid-level routes through that sector" so a trading loop is conceivableI Dare, Day 59, Standard Year 1393 including a possible trading loop from Tradedesk Dragon Ship, ch 18 *Surebleak's spaceport is located just outside the city. Weather, Geography * Near the sea: “The weather had been unrelenting, windy and cold, for the past seven-day now, and the forecast for the morrow was much the same. The night winds would move over the seacoast, pushing moisture into the swamp-regions, where it would gather energy from the barely frozen rivers, then push to and over the bowl of the city as the winds changed.”Skyblaze *Road Boss will build the road out to the seaMoon on the Hills, in Halfling Moon, and in Liaden Universe Constellation volume ii *Island, owned by Yulie ShaperDragon in Exile *Korval hired master meteorologist Ichliad Brunner (see Misfits) to improve the climate with orbital mirrors and a weather satelliteMisfits, History *Settled about 150 hundred years ago by a mining company -- The Gilmour Agency -- which abandoned the planet when a newly discovered, richer, and more accessible timonium source became available in an asteroid belt. I Dare, ch 46 and Moon on the Hills) *Gilmour Agency may have left Surebleak about 175 years ago. Rebus Marks, an older man himself, shows the ID card for his grandpa's grandpa, an economist for Gilmour Agency. Dragon in Exile, ch 16 *The Gilmour Agency had an evacuation plan that could have got everybody off the planet, and all the equipment, but the suits decided it would be an unjustifiable expense, so they left behind the equipment and everybody below Grade Six."Block Party" *The abandoned settlers dubbed the planet Surebleak Government *After the Gilmour Agency abruptly evacuated, Surebleak government began to fall apart. Social systems eventually failed, including medical care when 'Bleakers couldn't pay the renewal fee for the galaxy-wide Health Net. Government completely collapsed when a plague struck the city, causing fear, death, chaos. I Dare, Day 309, Standard Year 1392, Blair Road *So the city was divided into turfs, overseen by Bosses. Each turf ran through the Port Road at some point. *Taxes: Bosses used tollgates to block access to the Port Road, allowing passage upon payment. Bosses also collected "insurance" fees from all businesses within their turf. In some turfs, the mandatory insurance payment was punitively exorbitant. I Dare, Day 307, Standard Year 1392, Blair Road *Systemic problems: In rough turfs, folks tended to seize control by killing the seated boss. Thus, bosses and their "hands" were those most willing and able to take and hold power -- regardless of whether they knew what to do with it. **Some bosses (Melina Sherton, Penn Kalhoon, Ira Gabriel, etc.) sincerely tried to care for their turfs, providing limited schooling, local health care, water treatment, etc. But with the Port Road blocked at each turf boundary, it was difficult for responsible bosses to communicate, much less collaborate. *There has recently been some improvement since Boss Conrad brought about the establishment of the Affiliation of Surebleak Bosses. **Jonni Conrad (Pat Rin yos'Phelium) wanted a council-based leadership system, but the associated bosses promptly made him the Boss Boss: "His fellow bosses, however, had insisted that there must be one Head Boss...and he had bowed to that, seeing that this was the model they understood."I Dare, Day 44, Standard Year 1393, Surebleak *When Clan Korval settled on Surebleak, the Delms agreed to protect and repair the Port Road. Val Con and Miri are the "Road Boss" with a "newly constructed office at the port."Dragon in Exile, ch 1 Bosses (an incomplete list) * Abram"Fighting Chance" * Victor Armhaut (M) - Conklin (before Conrad started cleaning up)I Dare, ch 36 * Jonni Conrad (M) - Blair Road * Josh Cruther (M) - Arcadja Alleys''I Dare'', ch 36 * Deacon (M) - a turf neighboring Blair Road (before Conrad started cleaning up)I Dare, ch 25 * Engle''Necessity's Child'', ch 33 * Fortunato''Dragon in Exile'', ch 21 * Ira Gabriel (M) - turf near the far end of the Port Road, next in from Sherton's''I Dare'', ch 30 - turf produces crops of wheat and oats''Neogenesis'', ch 8 * Goyan - turf neighboring Rinehart's (before Conrad started cleaning up)"Chimera" * Henrick - one of the Bosses who donated part of their turf to create Blair Road Turf''I Dare'', ch 18 * Iverness - one of the bosses cleaned up by Conrad, according to Lionel Smealy''Dragon in Exile'', ch 15 (possibly he's thinking of Boss Ivernet?) * Ivernet (M) - Industry Street (before Conrad started cleaning up)I Dare, ch 27 * Voral Jene (F) - Gough Street (before Conrad started cleaning up)I Dare, ch 36 * Penn Kalhoon (M) - Hamilton Street * Latimer - Hamilton Street (a predecessor of Boss Kalhoon)"Fighting Chance" * Marriot''Necessity's Child'', ch 19 * Nort Moran (M) - Blair Road (Boss Conrad's predecessor)I Dare, ch 18 * Ostay - Hamilton Street (Boss Kalhoon's immediate predecessor)Dragon in Exile, ch 15 * Peterman - Hamilton Street (a predecessor of Boss Latimer)"Fighting Chance" * Randall - Blair Road (Boss Vindal's predecessor)I Dare, ch 18 * Rinehart - turf neighboring Goyan's"Chimera" * Fran Schomaker - Gilly Street''Dragon in Exile'', ch 16 * Schroeder (M)Necessity's Child, ch 10''Necessity's Child'', ch 33 * Melina Sherton (F) - turf at the far end of the Port Road, where the city meets the farmland''I Dare'', ch 30 - turf produces meat, fruits and vegetables, as well as handling import of goods from further afield''Neogenesis'', ch 8 * Tiede - one of the Bosses who donated part of their turf to create Blair Road Turf''I Dare'', ch 18 * Torin"Block Party" * Tourin (M) - Blair Road (first Boss of Blair Road Turf; Boss Randall's predecessor)I Dare, ch 18 * Wentworth (M)Necessity's Child, ch 29 - Jopha Road''Necessity's Child'', ch 14 * Whitman (F) - turf on the Port Road between Conrad's and Kalhoon's''Ghost Ship'', ch 8''Ghost Ship'', ch 25 * Elva Whitmore''I Dare'', ch 40 * Vindal (F) - Blair Road (Boss Moran's predecessor)I Dare, ch 18 * Vine (M) - turf nearest the Spaceport''I Dare'', ch 35''Ghost Ship'', ch 8 Port Road *Runs from the Spaceport out to World's End, where the timonium diggings used to be (and Jelaza Kazone now is).Moon on the Hills *Travelling by the Port Road, there are five tollbooths between the Spaceport and Penn Kalhoon's turf, then a further five tollbooths between there and Jelaza Kazone. The first turf near the Spaceport is Boss Vine's. The next turf out from Boss Kalhoon's is Boss Whitman's, and the next turf out from that is Boss Conrad's. The last turf before the end of the Road is Melina Sherton's.Ghost Ship, ch 8 The next turf in from that is Ira Gabriel's.Moon on the Hills Establishments *Al's Hardware Store on Rendan Road, what was once Boss Moran's turf , Necessity's Child, chapter 14 *Andy Mack's Repairs, at/near the portSkyblaze *Audrey's House of Joy, Blair Road turf *Bakeries **Algaina's unnamed bakery near The Wayhouse in "Block Party" **BrickOff FlourPower Bakery in "Skyblaze" (baker Granita) **Joan's Bakery, preferred meeting place for The Bedel. , Dragon in Exile, chapter 29, **Quill's Bread Bakery: "Vessa Quill had been among the first to move into Boss Conrad's turf. She had immediately set up a bread bakery in a storefront half a block from the Boss's house"Dragon in Exile, chapter 4. Beck says Quill "delivers hot bread right to the kitchen door" (at Nova's house on Blair Road)Necessity's Child, chapter 35 *Bazaar, shopping markets arcade with large central common room, on port but city owned *Bentler's Brewery *Blair Road Booster, news-sheet Moon on the Hills, in Halfling Moon, and in Liaden Universe Constellation volume ii *Blair Road Building Committee: Constituted the night arsonists destroyed the bakeryDragon in Exile, chapter 23 *Bob's Grocery Dragon in Exile, chapter 28 *Carpet Emporium on/near Blair Road, owned by Boss Conrad (and bel'Tarda?) *Consolidated School, located at the meeting of four turfs, held by Bosses Conrad, Kalhoon, Schroeder and Engle.Necessity's Child, ch 33 *Council Hall where Council of Bosses meet *Emerald Casino at the space port *Everett's Market, in Whitman's turf *Finder's Junk Heap, in Marriot's turf *Gilmour Agency Warehouses, abandoned by the company -- The Bedel live in the lower levels, by squatters rights: "How if we say to Boss Conrad that we the Bedel have established tenancy, and the buildings are ours?" Necessity's Child, chapter 22 The headman "would therefore ask the Boss Conrad that the Bedel be left in peace, in that place we have found for ourselves." Necessity's Child, chapter 32 *Healer's Hall and/or Hospital (assumed, based on healers in Block Party and Neogenesis)Neogenesis"Chimera" **and from I DARE: "Ira's got six clinics" **"Audrey, she grabbed what she could of Vindal's clinic and library before Moran torched them" **full-time clinic, day and night, advertised in The Blair Road Booster Moon on the Hills, in Halfling Moon, and in Liaden Universe Constellation volume ii **In town, Medic Svenz treated Val Con: “the medic told him to lie down and rest. He had therefore stretched out, carefully, on the treatment couch...”Street Cred, in Change Management ***So, there may be a unified hospital, clinic, or healer's hall *Jemie's Taxi Service, Port-n-City *Jolie's House of Joy *Korval Yard, shipyard *Library? **(not mentioned yet, but see Media Center) **"Audrey, she grabbed what she could of Vindal's clinic and library before Moran torched them" *Machine Shop, Kalhoon's Repair, where Miri worked as a youth, Ghost Ship, chapter 8 (maybe the same unnamed machine shop young Rudy works at years later) Necesity's Child, ch 33 *Media Center: "a media center. Perhaps he would find a book there"Dragon in Exile, chapter 11 *Melina Sherton's Produce Market -- at the edge of town, selling farm products *Nelsin's Grabasnak (24-hour diner at the port) Dragon in Exile, ch 20 *Patrol / City Watch HQ *Planetary Cooperative: Duty-Free Shops at the port *Port Annex Rug Shop, Luken bel'Tarda *Port Security HQ (Liz Lizardi) *Portmaster's Office *Printers / Print Shop / "The Daily Gab" newspaper *Qe'andra office (corner qe'andra booths / storefront qe'andra)Dragon in Exile **part of the Accountants' Guild Neogenesis, Surebleak/ch 1 *Rag Shop *Road Boss's Office, newly constructed at the port Dragon in Exile, chapter 1 *Scout Headquarters, after schism in The ScoutsNeogenesis, Surebleak *Stadium (The Hooper plays there)Moon on the Hills, in Halfling Moon, and in Liaden Universe Constellation volume ii **Surebleak Transitional Team (Scouts who volunteered for Surebleak)Dragon in Exile, chapter 33 *Sherman's Shoot-Out on Veedle Street: gun shop and shooting rangeDragon in Exile, chapter 17 *Space Port Lounge, featuring Poker Night Specials *Spacemen’s Hostel - at the Port (expensive cubicle spaces for lodging) Dragon in Exile, ch 16 *Supply Store *The Syndicate (location not advertised) *Tobi's (a bite and a brew) I Dare *Trade Bar *Vin's Pawn Shop Necessity's Child, chapter 16 *Wayhouse, temporary housing for newcomers in needBlock Party *Whosegow -- the jailDragon in Exile, chapter 6 *Wilmet's Grocery (Jim Snyder's first stop on Insurance Day)I Dare, Day 307, SY1392, Blair Road, Surebleak Korval Homes on Surebleak *Korval's clanhouse on Surebleak is Jelaza Kazone (house details at link). It stands a distance from Surebleak City, but the crown of The Tree is visible from the port.Skyblaze The drive takes an hour by taxi cab, from the port to Jelaza Kazone. **The nearest neighbor is Yulie Shaper, a farmer. Moon on the Hills, in Halfling Moon, and in Liaden Universe Constellation volume iiGhost Ship *Shan yos'Galan and Priscilla are buying an island from Yulie Shaper, for the yos'Galan house site. Twin saplings from The Tree will be planted on the island. Dragon in Exile, epilogue *Pat Rin yos'Phelium (Boss Conrad) lives on Blair Road with his lifemate Natesa, his son Quin, his foster-father Luken bel'Tarda (until he found a suitable apartment), his "head hand" Cheever McFarland, door security Gwince, butler Mr. pel'Tolian, Cook (makes fine shortbread), etc. I Dare Dragon in Exile *Lady Kareen yos'Phelium lives on the corner of Dudley Avenue and Farley Lane, along with her colleagues Professor Kamele Waitley and Scout historian vey'Loffit. Her cook is Esil Lang. For security, she has Hazenthull Explorer, and "head hand" Gert Jazdak, bodyguards Dafydil (Dilly) and Amiz, etc. Dragon in Exile, ch. 17 *Nova yos'Galan lives on Blair Road with her son Syl Vor, her foster daughter Kezzi of The Bedel (occasionally), her security chief /"hand" Mike Golden, the cook Beck, general duty 'hand Gavit, and various house staff. Necessity's Child *Luken bel'Tarda lives in an apartment across from Audrey's House of Joy,Dragon in Exile, chapter 27 managing The Carpet Emporium and Port Annex Rugs. Dragon in Exile, ch 4 He spends time across the street with AudreyDragon in Exile, ch 2 Seasons *There may be a discrepancy I Dare On Day 31 of Standard Year 1393, it is "high summer".I Dare, ch 40 Ghost Ship When Jelaza Kazone first arrived on Surebleak, shortly after Day 201 of the same year, it was not yet spring.Ghost Ship, ch 24 In due course, there was spring,Ghost Ship, ch 15 followed by late spring.Ghost Ship, ch 24 The gather held for all the Bosses at Jelaza Kazone took place "a matter of local weeks" before the onset of summer.Ghost Ship ch 27 When Val Con was called to deal with the trouble on Vandar, it was still spring.Ghost Ship, ch 39 Necessity's Child A few days after (that's after) the gather held for all the bosses, it is "very nearly spring".Necessity's Child, ch 5 Dragon Ship When the Uncle's message about Daav reaches Surebleak, it is summer.Dragon Ship, ch 27 Dragon in Exile Begins on a "supposed summer evening".Dragon in Exile, Prologue It continues to be summer in subsequent chapters. When Lionel Smealy meets the Road Boss, it is "mid-summer".Dragon in Exile, ch 15 "The days were growing cool again" just before Sherman's shooting competition.Dragon in Exile, ch 38 In the epilogue, Yulie says that in "'Nother ten or twelve days we'll be seeing autumn".Dragon in Exile, epilogue Street Cred "The season, so he'd been told, was early autumn""Street Cred" The Rifle's First Wife It’s early spring – “winter having been gone some weeks now”."The Rifle's First Wife (Lizzie's age indicates that it's a subsequent spring to the one in Ghost Ship; Alara's situation, that it's before the end of Dragon in Exile. Perhaps it's the spring mentioned in Necessity's Child.). -- Well as to that, it cannot be the Spring mentioned in Necessity's Child, because baby Talizea isn't born until the epilogue, where Syl Vor tells Nova: "I'm happy to make the acquaintance of my new cousin Talizea, but I'll be very happy to go home again." Neogenesis The gardens are being/have recently been prepared for winter.Neogenesis, ch 8 References Category:Planets